Evolution
by Imagine Anne Morgan
Summary: Sequel to Hot Zone - The world gets smaller towards the end. Survivors must pull together to protect what they have and each other. The dead are no longer the only threat to the last remaining pockets of humanity. Mayor McDaniels and her group are up against the Big Bad and a new threat trying to take them out. There is no rest for the wicked as survival depends on a strong leader.


Chapter 1:

Torches lit the room. He waited with eager anticipation. His job was important and he was keen to get started.

"You're weak My Lord." He noticed. Mabus who kept his host hidden from them was weak and he could tell the host he used was burning out. They hadn't even implemented the second wave yet.

"My full vision might not come to fruition." Mabus anxiously paced the room. He even offered to help him if he needed a new host. "That won't be necessary. I have another job for you."

"What is it you want from me My Lord?" He knew what was coming. He knew which side it was better to be on. Earth was done for and there was nothing no human could do about it.

"Should my first plan fall through I need you to implement the Third Wave." Maniacal laughter reverberated around the torch lit chamber.

XXXX

The supply run was a disaster. She knew Mary was right not to send Officer Barbrady out or even go herself. The ground was thick with snow. Nature had reclaimed most of the buildings surrounding them even a farmhouse between the old camp and the cabin in the mountains that would have once been adequate shelter for anyone just traveling through. The undead herds were migrating, and it wasn't something she'd ever seen before. Even though they lost people on the run they were able to get most of the items on the lists Mary and Barbrady put together.

They had to stay out longer considering they burned through all their bullets. Yates had a team of scouts and as soon as they crossed into Westwood territory they were set upon. Unfamiliar people opened fire with the noise from their weapons drawing the dead towards them. She was surprised to see Blake trying to protect her. It wasn't something she was used to since her ex-husband only cared about himself. They were able to regroup, and it was Freddie Janson's decision to ad guns, bullets and additional weapons and materials to build traps to their supply run list. Getting these items would take longer and winter was already harsh. They had no way of knowing which roads were still accessible.

"Holy shit!" She thought she might faint. He wasn't someone she wanted to see again given his racist behaviour at camp. She didn't know what to do as he quickly held her at gun point. "This world gets smaller and smaller towards the end don't it?"

"Let her go!" Blake angled his gun at Harrison's head. She knew trying to protect her was useless. Yates had the upper hand and they had no choice but to comply with his demands.

"What do you want?" Even though she was trying to make it up to Mary McDaniels she wished she'd stayed at the cabin. Stan and Shelly had their uncles Ned Gerblansky and Jimbo Kern, but they still needed a parent and as far as Shelly and Stan were concerned Blake was their father. If Harrison destroyed them, they wouldn't have any parents. She had to survive and she had to do whatever it takes to get back to her children.

"We're going for a little drive." Yates ordered Blake to drive and insisted it was for Blake's benefit that he listen to his directions. "We need to have a talk."

XXXX

It'd been too long. She shouldn't have sent the supply run team out during the winter. She didn't have a choice. She had children relying on formula and the PC babies needed formula as well. They needed diapers and even more construction supplies for the wall.

"What the hell is taking them so long?" She sat at the bay window each day waiting for Johnson's old council car to come back. She was starting to show so even despite the gossip she had to confirm her pregnancy. To her surprise people didn't judge her. As soon as she heard gossip from Maggie Yates and Laura Tucker she used banishment against them. She hadn't heard a peep out of them since.

"It's pretty bad outside with the snow." Alex remarked as he brought over hot chocolate. "They may be held up somewhere."

She hoped that was all it was, but she had the sinking feeling in her gut things weren't okay. "It's been too long."

"We can't go looking for them now." Barbrady was concerned as well. She could tell with the worried expression on his face.

"This is why I won't let you out with the supply run team Katherine." She knew her daughter could help keep the dead away from them, but not the threat of other people. So far she hadn't seen any signs of an attack from Westwood.

"Because I might not come back?" Katherine had realised that she shouldn't go out on her own. She made sure all the children stayed inside unless they were supervised.

They trained in the afternoons and they were starting to get the hang of hand to hand combat and survival training. Kids with superpowers trained in the equestrian arena when they weren't using it for horseback riding lessons. She figured it was worthwhile training people to work with horses in combat scenarios since people even in the middle ages fought battles effectively this way.

"Something's not right." She sighed heavily and all she could do was take a nap since morning sickness was so bad it kept her in bed most days. "Put up a protection detail for the property George. We may have unwanted guests coming."

He kissed her cheek and went to prepare a team. It wasn't just morning sickness churning her stomach. Morning sickness, anxiety and dread plagued her. Despite going to bed she couldn't sleep. Something had to be done.

XXXX

He wondered how long Westwood had been established for. It was one of the few places left untouched as a result of the plague around them. He shuddered and he could feel a cold draft on his neck. The little hairs stood up and his skin was covered in Goosebumps.

He couldn't move and his wrists were bound together so tight he could feel nothing but pins and needles. He didn't know what had happened to the other supply runners. He didn't know what happened to Sharon. All he remembered was the fear etched on her face as Harrison Yates pressed a gun to her lips and ordered him to drive them to the town of Westwood.

He struggled against his restraints and couldn't see much of the dingy holding cell they kept him in. He suspected Yates because no one else would have anything against him. It was his own fault he got left behind on the rooftop back in Denver. He pissed Police Chief George Barbrady off insulting his family and bringing herd upon them with his erratic behaviour in the city. While Barbrady was just defending himself and fleeing to safety popping off rounds Yates was just being an idiot. He didn't even consider the safety of everyone else on the supply runner team at the time. Barbrady at least had an excuse because at the time he didn't know the dead were drawn to the living by noise. Yates knew this and still proceeded to put them in danger.

"You're going to tell me what you know." It was Harrison. He heard the chair scrape across the floor towards him before Yates sat down to begin the interrogation. There was no law anymore except for what rules each group of people made for themselves in order to survive. Yates was in control and he could do whatever he wanted.

His eyes adjusted once his blind fold was removed. When they were close enough to Westwood Yates knocked him out. His eye was still sore from the blow. He didn't show fear even if he wanted to. He refused to give Yates the satisfaction.

"You're going to tell me about the cabin and what the defences are. You're going to tell me if good old Barbrady was alive the last time you saw him. Start talking Blake." Yates was clearly enraged. He didn't know if he was like this before. He didn't even know him before. He was from Denver and didn't meet anyone from South Park until he arrived at Randy's camp.

"Get fucked." He spat at Yates. There was nothing he liked about this man. He didn't have to know him well to know he didn't like him. Yates made him cringe. He wasn't going to tell him anything. "I don't know shit."

It was a lie and it was quite obvious that Yates didn't believe a word he said. Even Randy Marsh trusted him enough to put him and his brother Jimbo in charge of the old supply run team.

"You're full of shit Blake." He scraped the tip of his prosthetic arm blade across the concrete flooring. He didn't even flinch at the sound. He was trained in martial arts and even though he literally had his hands tied behind his back he could beat Yates at his own game. At some point during the interrogation he'll make Harrison wish he'd bound his legs.

XXXX

She couldn't take it anymore. She had to take matters into her own hands. It had been more than two weeks and no one had returned from the supply run. She made sure people at the cabin were busy especially Barbrady. They couldn't know she was planning on going out on a rescue mission.

"Where are you going?" She jumped when she heard Classi behind her. She thought for sure she wasn't followed. She didn't want anyone to go with her. If anything went wrong it was only on her.

"I'm not going anywhere." It was a lie and a very bad one at that. She couldn't take not knowing what happened to a whole team of capable people.

"You're a dirty liar." Classi had seen right through her. "You're going after the supply runners."

She slumped. She knew Classi and Wolf wouldn't leave her alone until she gave Classi an explanation. "They'll be at Westwood. Do you know where that is?"

Classi smirked. "I do."

"Can you get me in?" As soon as she opened the back door of her SUV Wolf hopped inside.

"You got it hoe." It wasn't an insult. Classi was a friend and her adopted daughter's God mother.

XXXX

He struggled against Harrison as he became angrier at each refusal to answer his question. He pressed his prosthetic blade against his teeth and demanded answers. Regardless he refused to yield. He wasn't telling him anything that would jeopardise the cabin or the safety of the other survivors. They had children at the cabin some of them were only babies. They deserved a safe place to live in a world full of shit and Yates had no right to take that away from him because he was pissed at Barbrady. He wouldn't give him the opportunity to get is revenge.

He could taste blood as the blade cut into his gums. He had a feeling he might lose some of his teeth, but a well-aimed kick to Harrison's groin knocked him to the floor.

"Should've bound my legs." He thought he had the better of Harrison as he lay on the ground in a crumpled heap clutching his balls. "I'm not going to tell you anything so you may as well give up."

Yates groaned in pain. "I don't need to know where the cabin is. I already know where it is. I want information on the defence for the cabin. Who runs that? Are there traps? I'm launching an assault on the cabin come spring and they won't know what hit them."

"I'm not telling you shit! Do what you want to me. It's not going to get you what you want." Yates only cared about one thing and if anything, he deserved what he got. They even went back for the idiot. He wished the dead got to him. He had Westwood. He didn't need the new South Park.

"Fine." Yates picked himself up and quickly left the room. He was gone for a few minutes before returning with two zombies in chains. "This was your fault Blake. You brought this on yourself."

Yates let the dead walkers of their leads. He quickly turned one snarling beast away from him and pushed the walker in his direction. He backed away from them when the dead men were distracted. "You'll talk if you live."


End file.
